Method of determining the detergency value of oils and apparatus for use in connection therewith



July s, 1958 T. KAY 2,841,980. METHOD OF' DETERMINING THE DETERGENCY VALUE OF ons AND APPARATUS FOR usm 1N CONNECTION THEREWITH Filed 001'.. 6, 1955 NIA 4 re-:1" A w47] A )426 4 l 25p/ Z0 NEW 01|.. l I r I 5 74 412%" @u 73 7,?0 l 27 Y '22 40 lmlm 77 22 @9.5; v

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METHOD F DETERMTNlNG THE DETERGENCY VALUE 0F @MJS ANDI APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONN ECTIN THEREWITH Tyler hay, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application @croiser 6, 1955, Serial No. 538,949

7 Claims. (Cl. 73-53) This invention relates to a method of measuring `the detergency value of lubricating oils such as used in crankcases of engines as well as detergency values for fuel oils, including gasoline.

The advent of higher compression engines with corresponding higher power rating has made the use of detergent additivelubricants imperative and in many cases detergentadditive fuels are an asset. It is the responsibility of detergent additives to establish and maintain the free moving action of closely fit parts in an engine such as hydraulic valve lifters. It is understood that by deiinition a detergent is a material that will remove and prevent depo-sit of objectionable materials such as resins, gums, tars, varnish, etc.7 that are the byproducts of oil usage, combustion, oxidation, etc. Among the objectionable materials found in a crankcase is lead bromide. Lead bromide is a material that is relatively soluble in detergent additives particularly with the normal moisture condensate present. I have found re lated t materials of the heavy metal salts variety to be more soluble at lower temperatures.

The test method to be described is of greater value if it can be done rapidly and at reasonably low crankcase temperatures. l have found a series of salts that serve as` accurate indicators for detergent action that occurs atelevated temperatures of upper cylinders. The selection of a particular salt as an indicator material depends -upon the degree of detergency required for engine performance. For example if avery high detergent concentration were necessary for good truck operation, then a relatively insoluble salt 4would be chosen so that the range of the instrument would match the requirement. For normal passenger car` service Va more soluble salt could be used to expand the range of indication where it is most useful. Some of the examples of salts are mercurio oxide, mercurio iodide, mercurio bromide, phenyl mercurio nitrate, mercuric thiocyanate, and the corresponding lead salts. These materials are relatively insoluble in a simple` petroleum oil. 'They can be pelletized with suitable binders such as micro crystaline wax or low molecular weight polythene. it is understood that these foregoing mentioned salts and binders are only examples and other heavy metal salts with other means of pelletizing may serve as useful indicators for detergent additives.

It is not the intent of this invention to explain howa detergent additive for an oil works but does by definition state that a detergent if effective can cause the removing of materials that are the products of oil usage in yan engine including lubricating oil and fuel. The process of removal may include dissolving, solubilizing, electric charge phenomena, etc.

I have found that the consideration of these fundaments can be the basis for a sound and practical test method with apparatus to measure detergency value in oils. Briefly the test procedure is to simulate the performance requirement of an oil by exposing it to an element composed of indicator materials and rapidly ric check the oils degree of ability to alter the element by dimension` or weight.

Since the apparatus is of measurement variety, it must include certain' constants. In the .particular` design shown the quantity of oil circulated in a given test is a constant and the physical dimensions of the element are constant.

The accompanying drawings show by way of example one specific design of the apparatus including a gage unit. There are many modifications in apparatus and gage units possible, but for simplicity of description this design utilizing a wafer-like element will be used.V

it is lone of the objects of this invention to provide a method for rapidly and easily determining the detergency value of an` oil.

A further object is to provide a method comprising the steps of subjecting a body or element of predetermined size, Weight or proportions to a predetermined quantity of lubricating oil, and to then determine the detergency value of the oil by measuring the dimensional change or change in weight of the body.

A further object is to provide `apparatus by means of ywhich `a predetermined quantity of crankcase oil is caused to act on a body of suitable material, and to measure the `diierence in ysize of such body before and after the same has been subjected to the action of the oil for the purpose of determining the detergency value of the oil.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of this type which is constructed so as to be readily usable by garage mechanics, filling station attendants and other persons selling crankcase oil, in order to enable them to quickly advise the user of a motor vehicle whether or not his crankcase oil should be changed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a central sectional View of`an .apparatus by means of which the detergency value of cranico-ase oil can be readily determined.

Fig. 2 is a bottom'plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a gage for measuring a body which has been exposed to the lubricating oil for determining the detergency value of the oil.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view yof the gage shown in Fig. 3.

Fig 5 is a face View, on an enlarged scale, of Van element to be used for testing a sample of oil.

The testing device or apparatus shown in the drawings is intended for use in connection with elements in the form of wafers with apertures therein, and a measured quantity of oil to be tested is passed through the aperture of a wafer. This aperture is then measured to determine the increase in the size yof the same. If the lubricating oil has good detergent properties, the aperture in the body or wafer should be materi-allyincreased in size, due to the ability of the oil `to dissolve'or suspend the material of the wafer therein. On the other hand, a lubricating oil which has very little detergent value will produce a correspondingly small increase in the size of the opening.V

7 represents a Wafer or element having an aperture 8 therein, as shown in Fig. 5. This element is held in the implement or apparatus in such a manner that the oil to be tested will ow only through the aperture. In order to drawoil from a crank case or other container, a tube or hose 9 is connected With the implement. This tube or hose may be inserted into the crank case and a predetermined quantity of oil may be withdrawn and returned through the same to the crank case. This `tube 9 is connected by means of a coupling member `lll to a cap 11 removably secured to a test housing 12. The i wafer 7 is then held between the cap 11 and housing 12, the upper part of the housing being provided with an aperture connected with a tubular coupling 14 with the inlet of the housing or cylinder of a suction device, such for example as a cylinder within which a suitable piston may reciprocate to create suction for drawing crank case oil upwardly through the tube 9 into the cap 11, from which it llows through the central aperture 8 of the element 7, and then through the bore of the coupling 14 into the cylinder 15'. If desired, the crank case oil can then be returned by causing the lsame to ow in a reverse direction through the aperture in the element 7. The element is then removed and the aperture measured. Consequently, it is desirable to have the closure cap 11 readily removable from the housing 12. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose, such for example as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which the housing 12 has suitable headed `screws or bolts 17 secured thereto and the cap 11 has arc-shaped slots 18 into which the bolts or screws may enter. The metal at the slots may be of gradually increasing thickness toward the closed ends of the slots, as is usually customary in closures of this type. Consequently, when the cap member 1.1 is turned in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2, relatively to the screws 17, the cap will be drawn toward the housing 12 by cam action. A suitable packing is provided between the cap and the housing, such for example as a packing ring or O-ring 20. Preferably the housing 12 is provided with a recess in which another packing or O-ring 21 is seated in position to yieldingly engage the upper face of the element, and the cap 11 has -a similar packing ring or member 22 seated therein to engage the lower face of the element. Consequently, an element will be securely held between the packing rings 21 and 22 so that all lubricating oil drawn upwardly into the cylinder 15 or discharged therefrom must pass only through the aperture in the element.

The piston for cooperation with the cylinder 15 may be of any suitable or usual type, including for example, a pair of cup leathers 25 secured on a stem or piston rod 27 between two annular clamping members 28 and 29. The piston rod 27 extends through a cylinder'head or cap 30, and a handle 31 is preferably attached to the outer end of the piston rod for facilitating the movement of the piston within the cylinder. The suction device must be so constructed as to draw in a predetermined quantity of lubricating oil to be tested, and for this purpose, the cylinder may be made of a length just sufficient to receive this measured quantity of oil when the upper end of the piston strikes the cylinder head 3d, or suitable stops may be provided on the piston `rod 27 to limit the stroke of the piston so that the amount of oil drawn into the same will be such as required to make the test.

In the use of this device it is merely necessary to insert the tube 9 into the crank case so that the lower end thereof will be below the oil level. The piston is then drawn upwardly to cause crank case oil to iiow through the aperture in the element 7, and after the piston has been moved upwardly in the cylinder to the desired extent it is again returned to its lowest position as shown in Fig. l, to discharge the oil either back into the crank caseor into another container.

The element is thus subjected twice to the detergent action of the oil and is then removed from the implement by removing the cap 11 from the housing 12 and the size of the aperture in the element is then measured. In order to facilitate the measuring of the aperture in the element and at the same time indicate the condition of the loil in accordance with the size of the aperture, a device such for example as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may be employed. This device includes a test member 46 in the form of a tapered rod, the smaller end of which is of approximately the same diameter as the hole 8 in a new or unused element. This end of the test memi ber is, consequently, inserted into the hole in the element `and the insertion is continued until the element comes to a part of the test member which is of a diameter equal to the diameter of the hole in the element. By means of this test member, the increase in size of the hole in the element can be readily determined.

The test device is also provided with means for interpreting the size of the hole in the body or element in terms of further usefulness of the oil. For this purpose, graduations may be provided on the test member 40 itself, but preferably l provide a scale which extends parallel to the test member and on which the graduations can be more easily read. This scale is in the form of a blade 41 to which the test member is secured in correct direct reading relation. For example, the scale may have a lateral extension at the lower end thereof which may be bent into a loop 42, the outer end of which is secured to the blade 41 by means of a bolt 43 or the like. The loop extends around the larger end of the test member 40, and thus holds it in parallel relation to the scale member 41. This scale, for example, may be graduated with a transverse line 45 near the end thereof of smaller diameter and another line 46 near the other end. Any element through which the test member 40 can be inserted `only to the lupper line 45 or less, has been acted on by oil which has so little detergent value left as to require replacement. If the element can be moved below the line 45 into a space between this line and the line 46, the oil which has been subjected to the element is in condition for further use and the extent to which the element may be passed toward the line 46 indicates the extent of further use to which this oil may be put. Any element which passes below the line 46 has been subjected to new lubricating oil or oil which has been used so little that it may be further used to the same extent as new oil. In Fig. 3, for example, I have shown an element 7a in which the central aperture has been increased to such a small extent that the element will not pass below the danger line 45, `and consequently, the oil to which this element has been subjected should be replaced. Fig. 3 also shows another element 7b through which the test member 4t) has been passed until the element is approximately at the line 46, which indicates that the oil is in very good condition, practically the equivalent of new oil.

Any other means, of course, may be provided for determining the size of the hole in the element and for interpreting the size of the hole in terms of usefulness of the oil.

By means of the device described, when a customer wishes to have an attendant in a garage or filling station check his crank case oil, the attendant can very quickly place a new element in the implement and draw out the correct quantity of crank case oil and return the same to the crank case, then remove the element, and by means of the test device shown in Figs. 3 and 4, he can show the customer the condition of the oil so as to advise the customer whether or not the oil should be changed. For example, if the element should come to rest in a position between the lines 45 and 46, the customer may use his oil to a somewhat further extent, depending upon the position of the element between these two lines. Consequently, it is possible by means of this device to give the driver of a motor vehicle a correct estimate of the value of his crank case oil.

Although the gage illustrated is calibrated for comparing used motor oil with new detergent additive oil, it is understood that the apparatus could be 'used to compare or measure new oils.

Detergent additives in oils become depleted with use and the rate of depletion is quite variable, depending upon such things as climate, engine conditions, type of usage, etc. There is a distinct service to be rendered by this apparatus in determining when motor oil should be changed. The safe limit for minimum detergencv U can be established experimentally and set up as the danger limit, for depleted detergency and oil change made accordingly. As a comparator of new oils the detergency value which is an expensive additive can he evaluated in selecting oil brands. Other uses including those for diesel fuel and gasoline comparisons are possible.

lt will be understood that various changes in the dctails, materials, and arrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustrated in order to eX- plain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of determining the detergency value of engine crank case oil which comprises subjecting an element of known size of an indicator material which is soluble in lubricating oils containing detergents and less soluble in lubricating oils free from detergents, to a predetermined quantity of the crank case oil to be tested, measuring the remainder of said element after the same has been subjected to said oil, and determining the detergency value of the oil from the decrease in a dimension of said body.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which said element has an aperture of predetermined size, passing a predetermined quantity of the oil to be tested through said aperture, determining the extent of increase in size of said aperture after said oil has passed through the same, and determining the detergency value of the oil from the increase in size of said aperture.

3. Apparatus for use in determining the detergency value of engine crank case oil, including a suction device having a predetermined capacity for oil, a passage leading to said suction device, a housing in said passage and through which oil may ow, and a body in said housing formed of material to be acted upon by the oil and which is more soluble in oil containing a detergent than in oil free from a detergent.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which said housing has a part which is readily removable to expose the interior of said housing for inserting a body into and removing the same from said housing for measuring the same.

5. Apparatus for use in determining the detergency value of engine crank case oil, said apparatus including a suction device graduated to receive a predetermined quantity of oil, a passage leading to said suction device, a housing connected with said passage, an apertured body of material which is at least partly soluble in oil having good detergency value and relatively insoluble in oil which is low in detergency value, a seat in said housing for said body, a cap for said housing readily removable therefrom to afford access to said housing, and having a part formed to cooperate with said body to hold the same on said seat while oil passes through said aperture.

6. Apparatus for use in determining the detergency value of engine crank case oil, including a piston and a cylinder reciprocable therein, a housing, a body of predetermined size made of a material which is more soluble in oil having good detergency value than in oil having less detergency value and located in said housing, a passage connecting said cylinder with said body, said housing having a space to receive said body in position to be exposed to oil flowing in said housing, a removable cap for closing said housing and for confining said body in said space, and a tube connected with said cap and through which oilV may flow into and out of said space.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said body has a perforation through which oil passing to and from said cylinder ows, said cap holding said body in said space in a position in which all oil passing to or from said piston flows through said perforation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,825,725 Gender Oct, 6, 1931 2,040,042 i Eckstein May 5, 1936 2,464,233 Hughes et al. Mar. 15, 1949 2,478,659 Jackson et a1. Aug. 9, 1949 2,519,323 Shank et al Aug. l5, 1950 2,696,112 Griith Dec. 7, 1954 

1. A METHOD OF DETERMINING THE DETERGENCY VALUE OF ENGINE CRANK CASE OIL WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING AN ELEMENT OF KNOWN SIZE OF AN INDICATOR MATERIAL WHICH IS SOLUBLE IN LUBRICATING OILS CONTAINING DETERGENTS AND LESS SOLUBLE IN LUBRICATING OILS FREE FROM DETERGENTS, TO A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF THE CRANK CASE OIL TO BE TESTED, MEASURING THE REMAINDER OF SAID ELEMENT AFTER THE SAME HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO SAID OIL, AND DETERMINING THE DETERGENCY VALUE OF THE OIL FROM THE DECREASE IN A DIMENSION OF SAID BODY. 